Press for consolidating powder in detonating caps and the like



Jan. 9,1945. E. DAVIS ETAL 2, ,103

PRESS FOR CONSOLIDATING POWDER IN DETONATING CAPS AND THE LIKE Filed April 10, 1943 Sheets-Sheet l E l l| I 1 ll! INVENTORS ERNEST DAVIS BY w. F. GAYR G ATTORNEYS.

Jan. 9, 1945. E. DAVIS HAL 2,367,103

PRESS FOR CONSOLIDATING POWDER IN DETONATING CAPS AND THE LIKE Filed April 16, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS ERNEST DAVIS Y' W.F. GAYI G a Patented Jan. 9, 1945 SATES PATENT. OFFICE PRESS FOR CONSOLIDATING POWDER IN DETONATING CAPS AND THE LIKE Ernest Davis, Syracuse, and WallaceF. Gayring, Minoa, N. Y., assgnors to The Prosperity Company, llnc., Syracuse, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application April 10, 1943, Serial No. 482,652

2 Claims. (01.10041) This invention relates, generally, to pressing machines, and particularly to machines for packing or consolidating material, as in a container or cap, as for instance, a machine for. consolidating fulminating powder and the like in detonating caps. It has for its object such a machine wherein the machine is controlled by a two hand safety control and the pressure for packing the material is applied with an exact or accurate pre- 7 characters designate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figures 1 and 2 are fragmentary front and side elevations of a machine for consolidating material in detonating caps, embodying our invention.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary elevation, partly diagramm'atic, of parts seen in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view of the punch and die which coact to 0on solidate the material in the cap.

This press for packing or consolidating material to an exact, accurate orpredetermined degree, includes cooperating pressing elements, one of which is a head reciprocally movable into and out of coaction with the other element to consolidate material in a container or a cap, power means for actuating the reciprocating element, yielding pressure means for applying a predetermined yielding pressure to confine the resultant pressure of the reciprocating element to an exact predetermined amount, when said elements coact, so that owing to the yielding movement, the material is consolidated to an exact degree, and means for controlling the operation.

of the power means. The press further includes a two hand control with means for locking the two hand control in operated position, and release means, the locking being controlled by the movement of the reciprocating element and the release being controlled by the yielding movement. 7

As the power used is compressed air, the motor is pneumatic. or pressure operated and is of the cylinder, and piston type. Preferably, the motor is double acting. The yielding resisting means, which determines the exact cons0lidating pressure applied to the fulminating powder in the cap, is also pneumatic and here shown as applied through a diaphragm. The two hand control controls the flow of power or compressed 'air to and from the motor, and hence includes manually operated valves, a reversing control valve for controlling the flow of air to one end or.the other of the cylinder, a locking means and a release valve.

The pneumatic, yielding, resisting pressure to determine the exact pressure applied to the powder in the cap is the principal feature of the invention. This resisting feature compensates for inertia or momentum developed by the reciprocating head under the force of the piston;

which inertia heretofore in machines of this type has been one of the causes of explosions while the powder is being consolidated.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the exact consolidating pressure is pneumatic pressure applied to the element, which supports the detonating cap, so that said element or the detonating cap is held against the reciprocating element with a predetermined pressure, and

yields when that pressure is reached.

I designates one pressing element, which carries a tool or punch l and 2 the other pressing element for carrying a die 3 in which a detonating cap, as 4, is placed. The element l is the upper press head and the element 2 is the lower press head. The lower press head is here shown as the head of a ram, the stem 5 of. which is.

suitably mounted in a guide 6 carried by the frame F of the machine, the stem beinghere shown as thrusting against a plunger 8 to be presently described, the stem having a roller Q coacting with the plunger 8. The head i reciprocates in a suitable guide I'll .on the frame and Y is actuated by a piston ll working in a cylinder l2 carried by the frame, the piston H having its rod l3 connected at It with the upper end of the head I The flow of motive fluid, which is compressed air, to and from the'cylinder I2 is controlled by a two hand control.

The other element 2 or the ram including the stem 5 is, in the formshown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, always under a predetermined pressure or acted upon by pressure operated means, which presses it upwardly with a predetermined pressure against the punch 1, when the head I is at the end of its downward movement. This pressure operated means is here shown as a cylindrical chamber 15, which is in open communication with the source of compressed air through a pressure regulating valve Hi. The pressure bleed-ofi valve for the chamber l5.

within the chamber I5 is effective on a movable element, preferably a diaphragm l1 suitably mounted in a diaphragm chamber l8, this diaphragm thrusting against the plunger 8. The plunger 8 is shown as connected to the diaphragm. The chamber I5 is provided with a suitable gage 9 which indicates the amount of pressure resisting diaphragm 2| designates a When air is admitted to the cylinder l2 by the operation of the two hand control to actuate the head 1 downward, it engages the material as fulminating powder, which has been placed in the detonating cap and presses the element 2 and the stem} of the ram downwardagainst the diaphragm IT. The diaphragm I'l, being pressed upwardly by a predetermined pneumatic pressure, yields when the predetermined pressure for that particular consolidation is reached. Various powders require different consolidations so that the predetermined pressure in the diaphragm chamber I5 is adjustable to various degrees of resistance. The yielding movement, as will be presently described, controls and times the retractile movement of the head I.

The compressed air system and the two hand control will now be described. The piston II. in the cylinder I 2 is double acting, that is, it is retracted by air pressure. The air pressure to one side or the other of the piston is controlled by a reversing control valve, which is in turn controlled by a two hand control. The two hand control, as here shown, comprises a pair of valves 22, 23 suitably mounted on the frame 1 of the machine on the front side thereof, these being connected in series in the feed system. These valves are of the combined intake and exhaust type, and each includes a casing and a movable member 24 therein, a normally-closed, springpressed intake valve head 25 controlling the intake of air, and a normally-open-exhaust valve head 26 controlling the exhaust of air. A passage 21 allows air to exhaust to the atmosphere.

The movable members. 24 of the valves are operated by levers 28, 29 respectively through resilient means, as 24. Buttons or heads 30, 3| exposed on the front side of the "machine, when operated, move the levers 28, 29. The heads 30, 3| are located insuitable boxes 32 having openintgs through which the heads 30, 3| are accessi le. valve 23, is connected in the main feed line 33 through pipes 34, 35, and the casing of the valve 23 is connected by a pipe 35 to the intake end of the casing of thevalve 22. The casing of the valve 22 isv connected by a pipe 31 to means for operating the control or reversing valve. 38 designates the reversing valve, this including a casing 38, which is connected in the feed line 33 by a pipe 33, and valve members and 4| therein, these valve members controlling respec tively the downward movement of the head and the retrograde movement thereof. The valve members 40, 4| are of the combined intake and exhaust type, the valve member 43 including a normally-closed intake valve head 42 anda normallfir-open, spring-pressed exhaust valve head 43. "The member 4| contains a normally-open intake valve 44 and a normally-closed exhaust valve head 45. The'passage or casings in which these valve members 40, 4| are located communicate through their exhaust valves, when open, with an exhaust chamber 46 from which leads an exhaust pipe' 41. The valve member 4| is connected by a pipe to the lower end of the cylin- One valve casing, as the casing 01. the

der l2. The valve member 40 is connected by a pipe 49 to the upper end of the cylinder I2.

The intake valve head 42 and exhaust valve head 43 are operated by a pressure operated means or motor 50 supplied with compressed air through the pipes 34, 35, casing of valve 23, past the intake valve head 24 when open. pipe 36 through the valve casing 22, when operated to open the intake v'alve head thereof, and thence through pipe 31. to the motor 50 to actuate the piston 5| therein. The valve 4| is operated by a similar motor 50 which is in open communication with the feed pipe 33 through the pipe 56 so that normally when the manual valves are in their normal or unoperated position and the air is not free to flow to the motor 50, the intake valve head 44 of the valve 4| is open and the exhaust valve 45 closed. When, however, air is admitted to the cylinder 50, the pressure therein overcomes the pressure in the cylinder 60 and opens the valve 32 to the intake of air, closes the valve 4| to the intake-of air and closes it to the exhaust of air, due to the long and short arm of the reversing lever 53.

50 designates a cylinder having a piston 5| therein, the outer end 01' which is connected to a lever 53 pivoted between its ends at 54 to have a long arm and a. short arm, the longer arm coacting with a stem 55, which thrusts against the exhaust valve head 43 of the valve member 40, when the lever is actuated by the piston 5|. As here shown, the lever 53 is provided with a spring-pressed thrust member 56 for thrusting against the stem 55. The piston 5| also is provided with a tail rod carrying the valve head 58 located in a chamber 53.

The pressure operated means for holding the valve member 4| in its operated position comprises a cylinder 60 having a piston 6| therein, the rod 62 of which is pivoted at 63 to the short arm of the lever 53. The short arm of the lever 53 also thrusts against a plunger or stem 54, which in turn thrustsv against the exhaust valve head 45 of the valve member 4|, and the lever 53 is acted upon by a spring 55 tending to hold it with the short arm thrusting against the stem 54 and holding the valve member 4| with its intake valve head 44 open against a returning action of its spring and its exhaust valve head 45 closed, the spring 55 augmenting the piston 6|. The cylinder 60 is in constant communication with the main intake pipe 33 through a pipe 56.

Normally air passes from the main line 33 through the pipe 33, the valve casing 38 and the valve head 44 being open, past the valve member 44 and through the valve member 4| ,pipe 48 to the lower end of the cylinder I2, and thus holds the piston II in its elevated or retracted position, wherein the head I is held in its upper or open position. When the operator depresses both manuals 30, 3|, air passes fromthe line 33 through the hand controlled valve 23, pipe 36, valve 22 and pipe 31 to the cylinder 50 actuating piston 5| therein, elevating the long arm of the lever 53, and thus overcoming the pressure against the piston 5| in the cylinder 55, which is connected-to the short arm, and also the spring 55. This movement of the lever opens the intake valve head 42, closes the exhaust valve head 43 of the valve member 40, and also closes the normallyopen intake valve head 44 and opens the exhaust valve head 45 of the valve member 4|, so that air now passes from the pipe 39, past the open valve head 42 of the valve member 40 through pipe 49 to the upper end of the cylinder l2 to actuate the piston II downward. The air on the lower side of the piston then exhausts back. through the pipe 58 out past the now Open exhaust valve headtS, exhaust chamber 86 and exhaust pipe 61. There are throttle valves 61 and B8 in the pipes 58 and 69 respectively to control the speed of the head I.

Means controlled by the movement of one of the pressing elements, as the movement of the head I, is provided for locking the valve members 60, I in theiroperated positions, or the position assumed when the two hand controls are operated. The lockin means are controlled by the downward movement of the head I to be .described. The operator, after depressing the buttons, and after the head I has moved a predetermined distance, can release the manuals 30, 3!

and the press will continue through its consolidating operation and release automatically, after applying the predetermined pressure to the powder in the cap t, in the construction shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, when the diaphragm I1 is depressed against the predetermined pressure in the chamber I5. The locking means is her shown as the valve head 58 in the chamber 59,

the valve head coacting with the seat 59 'at the upper end of the chamber 59, and an outlet passage 69 leading to the atmosphere from within the valve chamber, The chamber 59 communicates through the pipes 70,-I'I and a valve 72' and pipe I3 with the feed pipes 33, 34. The valve 72 is of the combined intake and exhaust type and is normally arranged with its intake closed and its exhaust open, as shown in Figure 3, and this valve is operated by cam I5 carried by the head I. After the head I has been actuated downward a predetermined distance, the valve I2 is operated to open its intake head and close its exhaust head, so that air will pass from the main feed pipes 33, 36, pipe I3, through the valve I2, pipes II and Ill to the chamber 59, and thus the pressure in the chamber 59 acting on the valve head 58 will hold it against its seat 59 it having been moved against its seat by the action of the piston 5I previously described. When the operator hears the momentary exhaust of air out through the exhaust passages IQ of the valve I2,

she releases the manuals and thevalves in the casing 38 will be temporarily locked in their operated positions, wherein air enters the upper end of the cylinder I2 through the pipe t9 and exhaust from the lower end through the pipe 48. The valve I2 is operated by a cam I5 on the piston rod I3 and normally spaced from a lever arm I6 pivoted on the casing of the valve I2 and coacting with the movable valve members of the valve I2. The lever 16 has an end arranged in the path of the cam 75, said end usually having a roller 11 for coacting with the cam. The cam I5 is so spaced from the roller, as to engage, after the head i is well on its stroke and before the head I reaches the powder in the cap.

The valves are locked in their operated positions before consolidation takes place. The pressure in the chamber 59 is released automatically by the relative movement of the head I and diecarryin element 2, and as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, it is operated by the movement of the stem 5 of the ram under the action of the head I and against the resistance of the predetermined pressure againstithe diaphragm I1. As shown, the pipe I0 is connected by a pipe 18 to an exhaust valve 19 having a normally-closed, spring-pressed, exhaust valve head 80, the stem SI of which is arranged in the path of an arm 82 movable with the plunger 8, and hence with the stem of the ram 5. The arm 82 has an adjustable head 83 thereon for coasting with the stem 8| and the head 83 is normally spaced from the end of the stem 8!. The spacing is such that after the head I coacts with the material in the cap 4 and compresses it against the resistance of the diaphragm I1 and the diaphragm depresses a predetermined amount, the head 83 will open the exhaust valve 80, permitting air to exhaust from the valve chamber 59 through the pipes 70 and I8 and out through the exhaust passage of the valve I9. Thus, the piston 5I and lever 53 are free to return to their normal positions (Figure 3), due to the fact that the air has exhausted from the cylinder 50 through the pipe 31 and through the exhaust passage 27 of the hand controlled valve 22, as the operator has already released these valves 30, 3i upon hearing the momentary exhaust through the ports M of the valve I2. This momentary exhaust takes place while the exhaust valve head is moving to closed position, and the intake valve head is moving to open position, and both are in intermediate positions. position and resting on element 2 protecting the operator from any explosion that might take place.

In the operation shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, a detonating cap Q is placed in the die' 3 and a certain amount of material filled.thereirito the operator operates the manuals 30, 3|, thus caus-. ing air to enter the top of the 'cylinder I2 and permit the air below the piston II to exhaust, and thus the head I begins its'downward'movement. During its downward movement and'before the head I has reached the, charge: in the detonating cap, the cam 75, dpens rthe valve 72, permitting air to enter thechamber 59 and lock the transfer valve itsop'eratedposition; The operator can now release: the manuals 30, 8!. The head I continues its downward movement whereupon the head contacts the materia1 in the cap and is pressed against the predetermined resistance of the diaphragm i1, and after such movement, the head 83 opens'the exhaustwalve member 86, andthus exhausts the air from the locked chamber 59, permitting the reversing valve to return to its normal position, wherein air enters the cylinder I2 below the pistonand A pressure reducing valve or orifice, is provided inthe pipe TI. Owing tothe. outlet 59 from the chamber 59, which is' controlled by the valve head 58, immediately upon momentary opening of the valve, air will .exhaust from the cylinder 59, and there; is no liability of the pressure again buildingup in'the chamber 59 to again close the valve 58, and hence operate the piston 5|, because of merely a momentary opening of the exhaust valve 80. Also, to control the movement of the head, dash pots are provided at the upper and lower heads of the cylinder I2 for cooperating with plugs or projections 85,-

85 on the piston above and below the piston head, these entering the dash pots at the ends of the strokes of the piston to cushion the strokes.

These are air dash; pots and the pressure there- At about this time, the guard 89 is in is controlled bycheck valves 81, 88 communiting with the dash pots.

In order to protect the operator from exploms that may occur during consolidation or mpression of the material in the detcnating p, a shield 89 is provided on the head I, which oves therewith, and which encloses the die ement 2 before the head coacts with the mate al in the detonating cap to compress it.

The feature of this invention is, however, the ntrol of the pressure applied to the material the detonating cap by the pressure chamber i and the two hand safety control for controlig the operation of the head i and the machine. Various consolidations may be had by varying Le amount of resistance in chamber 55. This 'essure is controlled by pressure reducing valve What we claim is:

1. In a press for packing or consolidating marial to a predetermined degree, the combinaan of cooperating pressing elements, each wing a movement relatively to the other, one ring movable toward the other, means for yieldgly resisting movement of the latter element, ressure o erated actuating means for said mov- J18 element, a power fluid system connected to ie pressure operated actuating means to supply iwer fluid thereto, said system having a conol valve therein, fluid operated means for op- -ating the control valve, a two hand control 1r controlling the operation of said control valve operating means, means operated by the movement of said movable element for locking the control valve operating means in its operated position, and means operated by the other element during the yielding movement thereof for releasing the locking means.

2. In a press for packing or consolidating material to a predetermined degree, the combination of cooperating pressing elements coactin to have .a yielding consolidating compressing movement, one of said elements being reciprocally movable toward and from the other, a cylinder anddouble acting piston for actuating the same, pressure operated means for applying a yielding compressing movement with a predetermined pressure to, the, other element, when said one element has been moved into coaction with the other element, a power fluid system having a reversing valve therein for controlling the flow of motive fluid to the cylinder and being normally in position to permit the flow of fluid to one end of the cylinder, fluid operated means for operating the reversing valve, two hand controlfor controlling the operation of the reversing valve operating means, means operated by the reciprocating element during its movement toward the other element for locking the reversing valve in its operated position, and means operated by the other element during its yielding movement for releasing the locking means.

ERNEST DAVIS. WALLACE F. GAYRING. 

